Babysitting Jobs

Looking for Babysitting Jobs or Nanny Positions?

Babysitting jobs are available wherever there are children. Believe it or not, there are parents and guardians right in your own town or maybe even right in your neighborhood looking for babysitters and nannies just as much as you’re looking for a babysitting job!

How to get babysitting jobs with or without experience!

First, here’s how to Find Babysitting Jobs if You Do NOT Have Any Experience – Many girls decide that they want to start babysitting between the ages of 11 and 14. But while this may be something they are very interested in doing, many parents may not want to hire girls of such a young age. They want babysitters with “Experience!” What these parents do not usually realize, is that girls in this age group have an advantage. They were kids themselves not too long ago, so most really enjoy playing with children. This is a one of the main benefits to having a younger sitter.

Unlike an older teen whose main focus might be getting the children to bed so she can talk on the phone or text with her friends or boyfriend, younger babysitters might really enjoy playing and interacting with the children.

So, how do you get babysitting jobs without experience? First of all, experience does not mean just babysitting children by yourself in a client’s home. Even babysitting younger siblings or other relatives counts as experience. Try these ideas:

Take a babysitting class. Check your school, the newspaper, or maybe even the internet for babysitting classes in your area. The Red Cross offers babysitting courses in many areas. Experience includes babysitting classes or courses too.

Accompany and older babysitter on the job. Ask an older sibling or friend that babysits if you could go with them three or four times when they are babysitting. Watch carefully and help out. Have them teach you what to do. Just be sure that they ask permission from the parent before bringing you along.

Stop by a local playground and ask parents if you may play with their children. Let them know you are practicing to be a babysitter. They’ll probably enjoy the break from chasing their little ones around. And, who knows, when they see how well you interact with the children, you may get a job offer!

Around the holidays, many schools or churches offer a day of babysitting for a nominal charge so parents can go shopping. If you find an opportunity like this, volunteer to help out.

Another way to get experience is to work as a “Mother’s Helper” for a while first. If you are unfamiliar with this term, it means that basically you take care of the kids while one or both of the parents are at home.

You may be wondering why anyone would hire a babysitter if they were home. The reason is because often times, parents have projects to do around the house or they may even just need to cook dinner and clean up and they are unable to keep an eye on their children at the same time.

Typically, because the parent is at home, the babysitter earns about half of the regular babysitting rate for their area. If most sitters receive $10.00 per hour, then a mother’s helper would earn about $5.00 per hour.

Sometimes, a mother’s helper does a great job and proves to the parents that she is responsible enough to care for the children on her own. In this case, the parents might promote her to babysitter. Then she will babysit for them for full hourly pay.

Babysitters should view being a mother’s helper as “on-the-job training” and take full advantage of the benefits. For example, most babysitting courses will teach you how to change a diaper on a doll. If you work as a mother’s helper, you may have the parent teach you how to change a diaper on their baby and you’ll be getting paid too!

Collect letters of reference. If you do a good job and get hired as a babysitter, ask the parents if you can use them as a reference. If they would rather not have people calling them, ask them to write you a letter of reference. It does not have to be long; just a few sentences about the type of job you do and how reliable or dependable you are. Keep these in a folder in your babysitting kit so you will have them when you apply for other babysitting jobs.

Once You DO Have Experience, Here is How to Find More Babysitting Jobs – Finding babysitting jobs may be easier than you think.

Ask your current clients for referrals. Have them give your name and number to friends or relatives that they know are also in need of a babysitter.

Ask about advertising in local churches and other houses of worship’s weekly bulletins or newsletters.

If you are at least 18, sign up with online babysitting services. Click the link below and sign up today!

Make a flyer. If you have taken a babysitting course or have babysitting experience, make a flier. Include information such as your name, your availability, your phone number and your level of experience.

Put up a flyer up at your town library. Check with the librarian first to be sure it’s allowed, and what area in the library would be appropriate. Hopefully it will be the children’s room!

You can always try the classifieds in your local newspaper.

Check out daycare centers and preschools to see if they have a bulletin board where you can hang a flyer. They care for children during the day, but most don’t have babysitting services in the evening.

Often times grocery stores have bulletin boards where you can post a flyer. Also try dance studios, children’s gymnastics centers, indoor play facilities, martial arts schools, skating rinks, or local fitness centers.

Be sure your parents are aware that you are posting these fliers. Have them either screen calls that come in for you and/or go along to the babysitting interview with you.

You might also consider passing out fliers or business cards to parents at local playgrounds.

If there are lots of girls your age in your area who are all looking for babysitting jobs, then you might have to get creative to make yourself stand out in the crowd. You could offer free services on your flier such as “free playroom clean-up.” Once the children are asleep you’re still getting paid, so you might as well clean up. Even though other babysitters might do this anyway, it will look like an added benefit if you mention it in your ad. You could advertise that you help with homework. You might even try offering a discount like one or two hours of free babysitting for new customers.

If you are old enough to have a profile on an online babysitting website, be sure to check it daily. Update your profile often, and check the section where parents post jobs. If you simply set up a profile and forget about it, you will get lost in the shuffle and most likely not get any calls. Sometimes there are 80-100 available sitters in one area, so you will need to stay active on the site to keep your profile at the top of the list.